Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 15222Aiding and abetting an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act (cocaine) · Co. Donegal · 26 Aug 2022

Woman sentenced to community service for aiding cocaine offence in Donegal

On 26 August 2022, gardaí stopped a car at Listillion outside Letterkenny, Donegal, after being tipped off about suspicious behaviour, and found 1,000 grammes of cocaine worth €70,308 in a pet food bag under clothing in the boot. Amin Rhamahi, a 48-year-old Algerian man, was the passenger and pleaded guilty to having drugs for sale or supply; he was sentenced in April 2024 at Letterkenny Circuit Court to three years, with the balance suspended after serving 20 months in custody. Tanya Van Coller, a 34-year-old woman, was driving the car and pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. In December 2024, she was sentenced at Donegal Circuit Court to 200 hours of community service in lieu of nine months in prison, with 12 months to complete it.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted26 Apr
  6. Sentenced26 Apr
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A car was stopped by gardaí and 1,000 grammes of cocaine worth €70,308 was found in a pet food bag under clothing in the boot.
Where
The car was stopped at Listillion, outside Letterkenny, County Donegal.
When
The car was stopped and the cocaine was found on 26 August 2022.
Investigation
Gardaí had been tipped off about the car's occupants acting suspiciously between Donegal Town and Ballybofey.
Charges
  • Amin Rhamahi, a 48-year-old Algerian man, pleaded guilty to having drugs for sale or supply.
  • Tanya Van Coller, a 34-year-old woman, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
In court
Both defendants appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court before Judge John Aylmer; Van Coller was later sentenced at Donegal Circuit Court.
Sentence
  • Rhamahi was sentenced in April 2024 to three years, with the balance suspended after serving 20 months in custody.
  • Van Coller was sentenced in December 2024 to 200 hours of community service in lieu of nine months in prison, with 12 months to complete it.
Other details
  • Gardaí also seized £1,440 Stg from the car, which Rhamahi said was his life savings.
  • Van Coller said she did not know there were drugs in the car and thought it contained money being delivered; she had no previous convictions.
33 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA drugs courier was caught with more than €70,000 of cocaine in the boot of a car. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatCocaine worth €70,308 was found in the car. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe car was stopped at Listillion outside Letterkenny. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe car was stopped at Listillion, Letterkenny. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe arrest happened on August 26, 2022. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on 26 August 2022. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe car was stopped by gardaí on 26 August 2022. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationGardaí had been tipped off about the car's occupants acting suspiciously between Donegal Town and Ballybofey. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationGardaí searched the boot and found what appeared to be drugs in a dog feed bag under clothing. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationForensic testing identified 1,000 grammes of cocaine valued at €70,308. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationDetectives stopped the car during a garda operation. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationThe car was searched and cocaine worth €70,308 was found in a pet food bag under clothing. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to having drugs for sale or supply. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeVan Coller pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeVan Coller pleaded guilty to allowing someone to travel in her car who was in possession of a controlled drug. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeShe pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtHe appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe plea was heard at Letterkenny Circuit Court before Judge John Aylmer. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe DPP accepted a plea to the count and a nolle prosequi was issued on other charges. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtA probation and welfare report was ordered and Van Coller was remanded on bail. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtShe appeared at Donegal Circuit Court. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceHe was sentenced to three years, with the balance suspended to account for time already spent in custody. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceHe had served 20 months in custody before his release. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceA co-accused was jailed for three years, with the balance suspended. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge said her part was at the lower end of the scale but merited 15 months in prison before mitigation. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceShe was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service in lieu of nine months in prison, with 12 months to complete it. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherGardaí also seized £1,440 Stg, which the accused said was his life savings. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherThe judge placed the incident at the upper end of the scale for such cases, saying the accused was obviously a courier. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherThe defence asked for the matter to be adjourned until October. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherVan Coller has a five-month-old baby. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherAnother man was in the car with Ms Van Coller. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherMs Van Coller said she did not know there were drugs in the car and thought it contained money being delivered. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherShe had no previous convictions before this incident. (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 12 Dec2024
    Sentenceddonegallive.ie, follow-up
    Woman who aided €70,000 drugs cargo in Letterkenny avoids prison

    Court report on the sentencing of Tanya Van Coller at Donegal Circuit Court, reported 13 December 2024; the offence dates from 26 August 2022.

    convicted, Tanya Van Coller, 34, female, namedTanya Van Coller
  2. 26 Apr2024
    Convicteddonegallive.ie, follow-up
    Ramelton mother pleads guilty to aiding drug courier

    Reports Van Coller's guilty plea at Letterkenny Circuit Court, the DPP's acceptance of the plea, and the adjournment to October for a probation and welfare report. It also reports a co-accused's three-year sentence with the balance suspended.

    convicted, Tanya Van Coller, 34, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Tanya Van Collerconvicted, Amin Rhamahi, named, non-irish (judged from name)Amin Rhamahi
  3. 26 Apr2024
    Sentenceddonegallive.ie, first report
    Drug courier nabbbed with €70,000 cocaine stash in Letterkenny freed from prison

    Court report on the sentencing of Amin Rhamahi, who was caught with cocaine worth €70,308 in August 2022 and was sentenced at Letterkenny Circuit Court in April 2024.

    convicted, Amin Rhamahi, 48, male, Algerian, named, non-irishAmin Rhamahi